Monday, February 28, 2011

Wicked

Last spring we saw the musical Wicked on Broadway in New York. The story is powerful because in the end both the protagonist and antagonist: Glinda, the Good Witch, and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, are better people for having known each other.

The girls dislike each other in the beginning of the musical. After somewhat of a struggle, they become friends. In the end Glinda decides to live within the corrupt government of the Wizard of Oz, and Elphaba knows that won’t work for her so they go their separate ways.

The friendship impacts both girls, helping them to become better for having known each other. The lyrics of the closing song: “Because I knew you, I have been changed for good,” is sung in a heart-felt duet by the two.

In fact, I would be hard pressed to decide which one was the protagonist and which one was the antagonist. This is a powerful concept for me. Could I write well enough to create an antagonist and a protagonist that are better people for having known each other? I don’t know. It’s something to think about.

The Wicked Divas sang with the Utah Symphony in Salt Lake City last weekend and brought the house down. They were wonderful. Have any of you seen the musical? What do you think about the concept of good and evil influencing each other for the better?

I want to see Wicked so bad!!! I love that Elphaba is simply misunderstood. A couple of friends and I just discussed Wicked this last weekend. We talked about the possibility of writing other misunderstood characters. It made for interesting conversation. You'll have to let us know if you decide to write something like that. I think you could.

I've seen Wicked in London a few times and just love howin many of the songs it is the words that bring such strong emotions out of me. And I also love the concept that everything is not black and white and not as obvious as it may seem in the beginning.

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